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Live Video: Debo Band

09/09/2013

Jake Uitti

Directed by bandleader Danny Mekonnen, the Boston-based Debo Band take inspirations from 1960s Ethiopian jazz music, elements of klezmer, funk and rock and roll. They combine these into original instrumentation and create a rhythmic, thoughtful, often trans-like musical narrative. Adding to Mekonnen's own Ethiopian heritage, the large group is an amalgamation of players from all over the world, from Angers, France to Paris, Texas to the Sudan. As a result of their diversity, Debo Band's songs weave a great deal of historical context, drama and strife through interplay of saxophone, guitar, vocals, violin, trumpet, accordion and percussion. The group, signed to Sub Pop subsidiary Next Ambiance, recently played a live in-studio at KEXP. Watch their performance here: